3 charged, 1 sought in theft of mail

December 20, 1991

A 20-year-old Carroll County man and two juveniles have been arrested and charged with stealing mail, much of it Christmas cards containing cash, postal officials said.

Guy Raymond Mettle Jr. of Westminster and the two juveniles, who were not identified, were charged with taking mail from the curbside mailboxes of 25 to 30 homes in the Westminster and Hampstead areas between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. Tuesday, said postal inspector M. W. Vision. Another adult also is being sought. Residents told the police that a group had opened letters and thrown away their contents, keeping only cash.

More than 140 pieces of mail, all of which had been placed in the mailboxes for pickup, were recovered, Mr. Vision said.

Mr. Mettle was arrested Tuesday and charged in Carroll County District Court. The two juveniles were charged in Carroll County Juvenile Court and released to the custody of their parents.

Postal inspectors said they were notifying residents whose names are on the recovered envelopes.

The Postal Service recommends that people send checks or money orders instead of cash, and that they put mail in curbside mailboxes just prior to the arrival of the mail carrier or in the blue collection boxes.